1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device which allows for better, more comfortable gripping of a swab article, particularly a cotton swab stick.
2. The Related Art
Cotton swab sticks have as their major function, cleaning of human ears. In the cleaning process, removal of wax deposits can require the cotton tip to be inserted within a hollow of the ear near the ear drum. Too vigorous a motion may result in puncture or at least some damage to the ear drum. Product configurations have long been sought which would reduce the danger of injury.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,889 (Blasius, Jr. et at.) discloses one solution to the problem by providing a resilient cushion element between the end of an applicator stick and the cotton swab tip. Although puncture is minimized by reducing impact against the eardrum, contact is still not avoided.
An alternative direction is taken by U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,362 (Enzo). A stick is provided with a shaped cotton flock including an essentially cylindrical portion having a rounded point and two projecting disc-like portions of different diameters. The disc-like portions are adapted for preventing the rounded point of the cylindrical cleaning portion from contacting the ear membrane. This solution has disadvantages in that the specially molded cotton has poor structural integrity.
Accordingly, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a swab constructed to avoid damage to the ear in cleaning this body part.